


Pained

by inquisitor_tohru



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Brendol Hux's A+ Parenting, Canonical Character Death, Dysfunctional Family, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Ghosts, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Star Wars: Phasma Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26748514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inquisitor_tohru/pseuds/inquisitor_tohru
Summary: Everyone was present and accounted for, and therein lay the problem - Brendol Hux had been declared dead three hours ago.
Relationships: Armitage Hux & Brendol Hux
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6
Collections: Bring Your Own Boos 2020





	Pained

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wiccy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wiccy/gifts).



Everyone was present and accounted for, and therein lay the problem - Brendol Hux had been declared dead three hours ago. Armitage had been there with the medics when he passed, and the records had all been _proper_ and _correct._ At least, they had been before he'd had them tampered with.

And yet, here his father was, his face as swollen as it had been when the assassin's toxin worked its wonders, ethereal skin tinged blue instead of pink. He regarded his son with about as much happiness as he ever had done - that is to say, none.

"I thought only the Jedi were able to return to the world of the living," Armitage said, as nonchalantly as he could manage (it was not every day that one was confronted by the ghost of their murdered father). Brendol snorted.

"You always were gullible and small-minded." Even in death, his father's disappointment was palpable. Beneath his desk, Armitage dug his nails into his palms. It ought not to bother him, now that Brendol was dead. But had that not always been the way of things? It _ought_ not to bother him, because he hated his father as much as he hated him. It _ought_ not to bother him because his father had grown old, was softer and weaker than Armitage was. It _ought_ not to bother him because he was a grown man and could do as he damn well pleased without his father's approval. _Ought, ought, ought._

"The beetle was clever," Brendol said, scratching at his bluish stubble, "I assume it wasn't your idea." It hadn't been, but his father didn't need that confirmation. His orders to Phasma had merely been to make sure it was untraceable. Now that he thought about it, the beetle irked him, because he hadn't known about it. _No,_ he reminded himself - that had been for the best. The less he knew about her methods, the better. Nobody would be able to connect _him_ to Brendol's murder. Not that anybody else even _knew_ that it was murder.

He'd need to make sure Phasma hadn't pocketed any more of her little friends.

"Though it pains me to say it...I have heard that delusions are common amongst the dying, or the weak-minded," Armitage said, his gentle tone at odds with his knife-like smile. "No one could blame you for getting confused, especially at your age, Father."

"You do look exceptionally _pained._ Perhaps you ought to return to the medbay and requisition some laxatives." Armitage wrinkled his nose. Of course. The very few times his father had ever attempted to _joke_ with him, it had inevitably come back to base toilet humour.

"I'm sure Captain Cardinal would appreciate your company. Perhaps _you_ ought to go and bother him instead." When Armitage turned away from his father's ghost, he found himself face-to-face with him regardless.

"Evidently, _you're_ the delusional one, if you think you're the first person I've tried to communicate with."

"Don't mistake my meaning, _Father,"_ he said, practically spitting the last word, "I merely expected you'd be desperate to share your outdated opinions on how to do your old job." Brendol faltered for a moment, his left eye twitching. "You see, nobody else knew the ins and outs of the stormtrooper program as well as you did. No one, that is, except for me, and I'm _more_ than capable of handling any other duties you had. Tell me again, what kind of liquor is it that generals quaff nowadays-" Armitage flinched as his father raised his hand, but this time it passed straight through him.

Yet somehow, even when Brendol exited through the office wall, foaming at the mouth, it didn't feel like any sort of victory.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [look at us all (the tables [sorta] turned remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26998429) by [mathelode (engmaresh)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/engmaresh/pseuds/mathelode)




End file.
